Argentina Travel Tale: A Patagonian Half-Marathon & the Headstand Finish

Posted on December 30, 2011 - Category Argentina, Travel Tales | 1 Comment

In April 2011, I had the opportunity to combine two of my passions: travel and trail running. San Martín de Los Andes, a small mountain town (population 24,000) in Argentine Patagonia, played host to the annual Patagonia Run, with options to run 10K, 21K, 42K (marathon), or a monster 84K. Me: I’m no wimp and [...]

Galapagos Islands tours: Following the Path of Charles Darwin

Posted on December 27, 2011 - Category Destination Highlight, Ecuador, Galapagos Islands | Leave a Comment

In 1835, Charles Darwin and his vessel, the HMS Beagle, landed on the shores of the Galapagos Islands in the Pacific Ocean. Darwin, an English naturalist, is perhaps best known for his controversial theory of evolution, a hypothesis about the development and existence of earth’s creatures including humans which he formulated heavily based on the [...]

Chile Travel Tale: The View from Santiago’s Hills

Posted on December 23, 2011 - Category Chile, Travel Tales | 2 Comments

If you’re like me, a holiday abroad is no excuse to put fitness on hold. Especially enamored of trail running, one of the first things I do upon arriving to a new destination is to seek out runnable terrain: parks, hills, etc; the bigger the better. So, when I arrived in Santiago, Chile – after [...]

Discover Argentina’s Stunning Lake District

Posted on December 20, 2011 - Category Argentina, Destination Highlight | Leave a Comment

Too often, visitors to Argentina get too drawn into the charms and enchantments of Buenos Aires to venture much further. Indeed, the capital city and its lure of sultry tango, fantastic international cuisine, and nightlife to suit all styles and schedules all make for a memorable Argentina vacation. But for those looking for something more, [...]

How Authentic Are Peruvian Chifas to Their Chinese Origins?

Posted on December 16, 2011 - Category Culture & Traditions, Peru, Travel Tales | 1 Comment

As a first-time visitor and recent resident of Peru, learning and discovering the city’s dishes has been an absolute adventure in and of itself. Each menu looks like a code waiting to be deciphered with so many varieties of dishes just in the Peruvian genre and without mention of Lima’s vast international cuisines as well. [...]

Destination Highlight: Rio Carnival 2012, What to Expect

Posted on December 13, 2011 - Category Brazil, Destination Highlight | 1 Comment

Outrageous. That is probably the best word to describe Brazil’s most famous event, the Carnival in Rio de Janeiro. Hundreds of thousands of visitors from around the world flock to the vibrant cultural capital of Brazil in February every year to attend the event. Tickets and hotels are booked months in advance so now is [...]

Top 4 South American Destinations to Spend Your Holiday Season

Posted on December 6, 2011 - Category Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Destination Highlight, Peru | Leave a Comment

If visiting South America has been on your to-do list for as long as you can remember but you just never seem to be able to turn the whimsical daydreams into an actual trip, then December is the best time to finally get going. Celebrate the holiday season in an exotic location with a mixture [...]

Peru Travel Tale: Aboard the Andean Explorer from Puno to Cusco

Posted on December 2, 2011 - Category Peru, Travel Tales | 2 Comments

Here is another travel tale from a member of our LAFL team. Today, Hortense, our Marketing & Web Development Manager, tells us about her trip aboard the train from Puno to Cusco. There are several ways to travel from Puno and the magnificent Lake Titicaca region to the ancient city of Cusco, former seat of [...]